Many people dream of moving to the country. Lisa Rogak talks practically about how to make a living from your new country home.

by Lisa Rogak

Most people dream of starting their own businesses in a rural area, but if you're already operating your own business--and have it pretty well established--the odds are good that you'll have an easier time moving your business than a person who plans to move to the country and then either start one from scratch or buy an existing business.

In some cases, a business won't translate successfully to the country. For instance, you might as well leave a dogwalking service behind in the city. However, you can translate this to a pet-sitting service in the country, if there is a sizable community of people there who travel frequently.

The first thing you should do is check the Yellow Pages and the Business Services directory of the local newspaper to see how many competing businesses there are in your field, and if you think that the surrounding community would need one more. Call the people who will refer business to you--in the case of a pet-sitting service, contact local veterinarians. If there already are a number of similar businesses, then find out what niche is not being served and do some more digging to discover if the market is there.

If you already have a home-based business that is based on a nationwide market, your move will be easy. All you have to do is send out change of address cards, load the moving van, and go.

In scouting out a particular area, contact the local Chambers of Commerce in the town, county and state where you want to relocate your business. Contact them all; each will provide a different perspective on the area's economic activity and outlook, and how it pertains to your business. It's likely that your contact at each place will ask you if you'd like some assistance in your search, and--with your permission--will pass your name along to realtors, other business owners in the area, and suppliers.

One thing you will want to check before you move to a rural area is the zoning, which is especially important with a home business. You should find out about any provisions or restrictions that may apply to your particular business and the house and land that you want to rent or buy. And be careful: even though the previous owner may have run a home business in the same place, s/he may actually have been in violation of the local zoning ordinance for years but because of friendship with a local politician, the town decided to look the other way.

Here are some steps you can take to ensure your own success once you move to a rural area.

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